It looks as though the directors of the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 4 were a little hesitant to go ahead with the project, stating that the original 2005 release is nothing short of a "masterpiece." Horror gaming is experiencing something of a renaissance at the moment, with a lot of titles for fans to look forward to. As well as AAA games and indie titles, there are also a number of remakes, including the recent Dead Space and the hotly anticipated reimagining of Silent Hill 2.
With the Resident Evil 4 remake said to include scrapped enemies that were supposed to be in the original, not to mention some story surprises and the removal of the dreaded QTE sections, this modern take on a classic sounds like it's going to be quite the crowd pleaser. Of course, there are hopes that it will retain what made RE4 special in the first place, though the remake is going for a much darker tone. However, as excited as everyone is about the game, there were some reservations about taking on the project.
In a recent interview with Game Informer, the directors behind the remake of Resident Evil 4, Yasuhiro Ampo and Kazunori Kadoi, were not quite sure they wanted to make it at first. Ampo refers to the original game as "a legend," adding that they felt it would be difficult to make a successful remake knowing that mistakes would upset the fan base. Kadoi's sentiments seemed to match, referring to RE4 as a "masterpiece" and saying that they "didn't want to do it." Knowing how highly regarded the 2005 release is, it's understandable that many would be a little reluctant to do a reimagining of a beloved game, especially if the aim is to satisfy older players and newcomers as well.
Of all the RE games out there, Resident Evil 4 is considered the best of the bunch by many, signaling a shift that distanced itself from its predecessors. Although the first entry laid the groundwork for the series, with the two follow-ups picking up where RE1 left off, the fourth installment bucked the trend by moving away from fixed camera angles and focusing more on action.
The Resident Evil 4 remake will have less competition when it comes out as well. With games such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and the indie horror title Amnesia: The Bunker delayed, Capcom's inbound release will have more room to breathe. Not that many feel it won't be a rousing success anyway, especially given the success of previous RE remakes.
Resident Evil 4 launches March 24 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Game Informer